Why The U.S. Has Millions Of Leaking Oil And Gas Wells

Scattered throughout the U.S. are millions of old oil and gas wells with no known operator. They’re a major source of methane emissions and can leak contaminants into the groundwater. But it’s hard to locate these wells, as many were drilled before modern mapping and recordkeeping technologies became widespread. It’s going to cost billions to clean them up, but for the first time there’s major federal funding devoted to doing just that.

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Why The U.S. Has Millions Of Leaking Oil And Gas Wells

[JogBird]

Privatise the Profits
Socialise the Costs
Its the American Way

[FinanceHustle]

I feel like there should be more responsibility for all of these issues that we have created.

[MagManx]

I just left a job with the Bureau of land management where I oversaw the responsible abandonment of these wells. It will take decades to correctly plug and abandon them all.

new wells (since the 70's and 80's)require a bond be placed prior to drilling, the bond is supposed to cover the cost of abandoning the well or at least help with it. This is applicable on Federal land, no idea about state.

[TheMrFiredragonheart]

Did these companies actually go bankrupt or nearly declare it to get away from responsibility though?

[thomasridley]

They reap all the profits. But the tax payers are stuck with the cost too clean up after them

[anyadike]

Can't we redirect some of the $20 billion dollars of annual oil subsidies into this?

[MyFavoriteColorIsBLUE]

Whomever owns the wells has to cap them? That is reasonable

[RussInGA]

some company owns that stuff.. go after them.

[ronaldwong]

Don't plug wells. Germany turned off there Oil Pump from Russia .

[Rivs]

EVERY states needs to jump on this problem ASAP!

[MustangsTrainsMowers]

Some wells that were pumped dry years or decades ago can again produce oil.

[RCdiy]

Why are the tax payers on the hook? A specific clean up tax or fee should be applied to every barrel extracted from the grocery. With mergers and acquisitions none of the oil and gas companies are innocent. Besides its the consumer who will pay which brings the retail price closer to the true cost.

[GodKing]

I like how they site clickbait headlines as sources lol

[chrispaul]

Oil didn't come from fossils.
Research it

[irubadub]

When you wanna bit a subdivision in a community the developer generally has to pre-pay for curbs sidewalks and roads which must be complete and pre-paid to ensure that the job is complete when finished. Companies who drill wells should be required to prepay for the sealing of the well knowing one day the well will die ensuring that they are not bankrupt or using loopholes. Very simple legislation!!??

[jollyranch]

A black man talking about oil wells we’ve come a long way

[russlea]

Have the oil companies cap an old one before they drill their next one. Similar to logging companies planting trees after they finish a clearing.

[elisam.r.]

Nothing about the Well Done Foundation in this piece? They're also working on plugging wells, especially in Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

[kingofrivia]

See i get that a lot of people who dont care are against climate change prevention measures but this is something so universal that litterally benefits anyone why cant we just get it done

[ventureplus]

There needs to be more responsibility for these issues created!